Method of setting fasteners



WILLIAM C. J'. MILLER AND VINGENI I. B'UMELY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF SETTING FASTENERS.

Original application led November 17, 1922, Serial No. 601,544.

To all whom t may concer/n:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM C, J. MIL- LER and VINCENT P. RUMELY, citizens of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods of Setting Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein'to the accompanying drawings.

vThis invention relates to the setting of eyelets, grommets, and other fasteners in fabric by forcing a portion of the fastener through the fabric from one side and clinching such portion upon the opposite side by means of cooperating dies.

In setting such fasteners` it is necessary to punch a hole in the fabric, either for the purpose of receiving the shank of the fastener, as in the case of eyelets, grommets, ete., or to receive a stud or other portion on a cooperating fastener member. as in the case of snap fasteners, .or for both purposes. i In order `that such: a hole may be` formed at the same stroke, of the-machine which sets .the fastener, it has lbeen proposed to provide one of the setting dies with a suitable punch which will, as the dies are closed to set a fastener, punch the fabric prior to or substantially simultaneously with the setting operation. With such an arrangement, it is necessary that the punch be so arranged as to extend or. pass through the opening of the fastener, either when the latter is placed upon the setting die arranged to receive it orjyduring the closing ofthe dies. This necessity raises a diiiicultyin the practical operation of devices of this type. For example, in the case of an eyelet or grommet, the punch can be of no greater diameter than the interior of the, tubular shank of such eyelet 0r Igrommet, whereas the hole in the fabric, through which said shank mustpass, and which is formedl by the punch, should be at least equal in diameter to the exterior of said shank Also, in the setting of snap fasteners, some provision must beV made for taking care of the usual yielding holding members'of such fasteners, which holding members normally extend intothe openings inthe fasteners, so that a punch cannot be passedthrough such an opening without shearingr oft the holding members unless they are movedout ofthe way orf somepother provision made' to prevent the punch ele- Divided and this application led July Serial N0. 650,609.

ments from closing upon them during the combined punching and setting operation.

The present invention has `for its object to Overcome the above difliculties by the employment of a novel method hereinafter eX- plained. and also to provide, in connection with the cooperating setting dies 0f a device of the character above referred to, punch elements so constructed and arranged as to punch a hole of greater diameter than the diameter of the cooperating cutting edges of said elements, and to provide punch elements which can be associated with dies for setting snap fasteners and which are of such a character as to facilitate the application of the fastened elements to the setting dies and their retention thereon, as well as Ato avoid injury to the holding members of the fasteners either prior to or during the punching and setting operation.

The more particular objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of the construction and operation of certain mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular operations described and constructions shown have been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that the invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise practised without departure from its spirit an scope.

In saiddrawings:

l is a vertical sectional view of a pair of cooperating grommetlsetting dies having associated therewith punch elements constructed and arranged in accordance with thev invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified construction and arrangement adapted to the purpose of setting snap fasteners.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the punch elements.

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of the fastener which the dies shown in Figure 2 are adapted to set. In Figure 1 are shown upper and lower grommet setting dies 15 a-nd 16, respectively. The lower or holding die 16 is formed with a surface 17 shaped toreceive and hold the iange of a grcrnniet i8 with its shank suitably centered,l he upper or clinching vdie is provided with dogs 19 to h'oldfa lwasher 20 and is formed-.with an annulary surface 21# to clinch the shank of the grommet '18 upon the washer 20 when said shanky has been inserted through a hole in the fabric 22 and through the opening in said washer, in accordance with the usual and well-known opera-tion of devices of this character. The mechanism for supporting and operating the setting dies 15 and 116 is not shown herein, as it may be of any of the usual types well known in the art. For punching the holes in the fabricl to receive the Shanks of they grommetslS, the setting dies 15 and -16 are provided with cooperating punch elements comprising, in the" construction shown in Figure 1, a punch 23a carried by the lower die 16 and a cooperating punch die 24a carried by the upper diel 15, said punch elements being disposed coaXially with the supporting and clinching surfaces off said dies. The punch 23a is carried in an axial opening in the die 16, said punch being in threaded engagement with said ope-ningso as to permit longitudinal adjust-ment thereof-,and is'passed through the Shanks ofv` the grommets 18 whenrr the latter are placed in position on the receiving or hold# ing surface 17 of the die. rThe punch die 24@Lv is received in a threaded opening in the upper die 15 and extends axially through atapered extension 25 with 'which said'f die is provided for the purpose of entering, and spreading the shank 'of the gronmfiet after it has been passed through the fabric and prior to the clinching operation,"` as is usual in devices of this character.

' The bore in the clinching die 15 which resaid punch'elementstoremove apiece of' ceives the punch die 24a terminates in an opening 128 through which the pieces removed from the fabric by the punch are discharged. y

Although the punch elements are thus arranged to enter the shanks of the grommets, and are therefore of somewhat smaller diameter than said Shanks, said punchele ments in-ust nevertheless form in the fabric 22a hol/e of suflicient size toy receive said Shanks.- f In accordance, therefore, with the present invention, Vone of said punch ele'- ments, herein the punch 23a, is formed with a'projection in the form of a conical end 26"adaptedto cup 'the fabric- 22 in the settingdie24a, as shown at 27, just prior to thepunching operation, thereby enabling fabric of greater diameter, than the diameter "ofthe cooperating edges of said'ele- I"nent's,"-- as hereinafter more fully explained.

The dies shown in Figure 2 are designed v tofse-t fasteners of the Slo-called Lift-the dot?"type', shown in detailin Figures 6 to Eacliofsaid'fasteners comprises a body A2,8ha'aing acover 29 initially 'and permalli'en'tlyi assembled therewith, and ay washer,

30 by which said fastener is secured to the fabric, said parts being all provided with coaxial openings 31 to register with a hole in the fabric and to receive a stud member of a cooperating fastener, which stud mem- 'y of prongs 32 on the body 28 which extend through openings in the cover 29 and are clinched on the opposite side of the latter. The washer 30 is secured to the fastener, when the latter is set in the fabric, by means ofprongs 33 which project from the cover and are pressed through the fabric and through slots 34 in the washer 30 and finally clinched over on the outer side of the latter. Said washer 30 is further provided Y:ith recesses or indentations 35 to register with the clinched prongs 32, thereby pinching the fabric between them and securely holding the same.

The upper die 150, shown in Figure 2, is formed with a surface 170 shaped substantially'to lit one of the fasteners 28, 29 last described, while the lower die 16() is pro; vided with a spring supported holder 190 for the washer 30. Said lower die 160 is further formed with a clinching surface 210 upon which the prongs 33 are bent over or clinched after passing through the fabric 22 and the slots 34 inthe washer 30, the holder 190 yielding as the dies areclosed for this purpose. For punching the. hole in the fabric to lregister with the opening 31 in the fastener, the upper or holding die 150 is provided with an axially disposed punch 23b which cooperates rwith a coaxially disposed punch die 24b carried by the lower or clinching die 160, said punch. die being supported in adjusted position in said clinching die by means of a sleeve 36 in threaded engagement with an axial opening in said die. The punch 23b is formed with. a conical end 26 which, when the fasteneris placed upon the holding die v150, passes through "the opening 31 in said4 fastener and, spreads apart the springs 132, said punch having also adjacent the receiving surface 170 of the setting die 150 a groove 37 to receive said springs, thereby holdingthe fastener in place upon the die until it has been set.

The operation of the punch elements shown in Figures 1 and 2 in punching in the fabric 22 holes greater than the diameter of the cooperating edges of said elements is illustrated in Figures 3 to 5. As shown in said figures, the punch 23 is formed with a conical end 26 at ythe junction of which with the body of the punch is formed an annular edge 40 which cooperates with the annular edge 41 on'the punch die 24 to shear the fabric 22'in suchv a manner as to punch a hole 42 in the same. Prior to this operation,

however, but as the punch elements are brought together, the conical end 26 ofthe punch 23 engages the fabric 22 and cups the same in the punch die 24, taking up a circular piece of fabric 27 whose radius is equal to the slant height of the cone 26, which, in turn, is greater than the radius of the base of said cone, namely the cutting edge 40. As the punch 23 enters the punch die 24, as shown in Figure 4, the piece 27 is punched out to form a hole 42, which, When the fabric is flattened out Will be of of the radius above referred to, and consequently of a diameter greater than that of the punch 23 and the opening in the punch die 24, as indicated by the broken projection lines between Figures 4 and 5.

The apparatus above described is vnot claimed herein, being covered by the claims of our prior application, filed November 17 1922, Serial No. 601,544, of Which this case is a. division.

l/Vhat We claim is:

l. The herein described method of setting fasteners in fabric which consists in cupping the fabric at the point at which a fastener is to be set, punching out the cupped portion of said fabric, and setting a fastener at said point.

2. The herein described method of setting in fabric fasteners having tubular Shanks,

which consists in cupping the fabric at a point at Which a fastener is to be set and removing the cupped portion of said fabric by means of a punch to forni a hole of greater diameter than said punch, forcing the shank of the fastener over said punch and through said hole While said punch remains therein, and clinching said shank on the opposite side of said fabric from that from Which the fastener is inserted.

3. The herein described method of setting in fabric a fastener having an opening and resilient holding members in said opening, Which consists in spreading said holding members, passing a punch through said opening to form a hole in the fabric, and setting said fastener with said opening registering With said hole.

4. The herein described method of setting in fabric a fastener having an opening and resilient holding members in said opening, Which consists in spreading said holding members, cupping the fabric at the point at which the fastener is to be set, removing the cupped portion by means of a punch passed through said opening, and setting said fastener With said opening registering with said hole While said punch remains in the latter.

WILLIAM C. J. MILLER. ,VINCENT P. RUMELY. 

